Why I allow 4 hours for a newborn photography session

When clients book in for their newborn photography session with me here in Poole, they often wonder why I say to allow up to 4 hours. In fact a lot of people just assume that they will not be here for anything like 4 hours and book appointments in the afternoon, and this sometimes leads us to rushing the session towards the end.

I have been photographing newborn babies for over 4 years now, so it is not that I don't know what I am doing. As I am sure you can all appreciate newborns come with their own time schedule, and do not stick to ours. All of my sessions are totally baby led, if baby wants a feed or a cuddle we stop for this. Working with such a small precious little person we need to go completely with their needs to make your experience with me as enjoyable as possible. 

If you have ever been to a traditional family photography studio before, you will know the drill. You get maybe half an hour (if you are lucky) to get those all important photographs, if it does not happen during that short amount of time, it does not happen at all. I want to be able to offer the opposite of this, and I will spend plenty of time with you getting those all important beautiful, natural shots. 

Another thing a lot of new parents think is, how on earth can I spend 4 hours taking photographs? It does not work like that at all. We do not spend 4 hours taking photos, and the likelihood of you actually being here for 4 hours is actually very low, but I like to make sure we have blocked out the time just in case we need it, which we sometimes do. Even if you have a very sleepy baby, you may find the opposite when they come here, it is a brand new experience for them (and you!) and it is very stimulating for them. Likewise, if you baby is a little more unsettled in general, they might be more settled here , I have lots of experience with babies and I know how to work with each individual baby and how to settle them.

So to round up, please allow up to 4 hours for your newborn photography session. This also allows for a little bit of leeway if you are a little late , I know what it is like trying to get out of the house with a brand new tiny baby! Most sessions are around 2 hours, but some go on longer , please don't panic if you are here the full 4 hours, some babies just need a little bit more time to settle in. And please try not to book appointments after your session as it will be a rush for us to be finished. I know this sometimes cannot be helped , so if you do , please let me know so that I can make sure we are finished and not rush at the very last minute. I aim for your newborn photography experience in my home to be as calming and relaxing, and comfortable as possible.

If you would like to read more about newborn photography experiences with me at Samantha Prewett Photography, here are a few useful links:
Read about your newborn experience here

​See a full newborn gallery from one single session here

Visit my newborn section of my website here for more information and prices